Eagles on ice

Jon Stinchcomb, Port Clinton News Herald
·1 min read
Two bald eagles, likely mates as the species typically pairs for life, stop on the Lake Erie ice at East Harbor State Park in Catawba Island Township.
Two bald eagles, likely mates as the species typically pairs for life, stop on the Lake Erie ice at East Harbor State Park in Catawba Island Township.

CATAWBA ISLAND — A sight that has been becoming increasingly more common throughout Ottawa County, especially nearby its lush wetlands and surrounded wooded areas, two bald eagles joined the large crowd of ice fishermen atop the frozen waters at East Harbor State Park.

As many locals are aware, spotting at least one fully grown adult bald eagle tends to mean there is another not too far off, as the species is known to typically pair and mate for life.

According to the National Audubon Society, after pairing, bald eagles will usually stick together and return to the same nest for years, until death. Both “spectacular” aerial acrobatic displays and nest building are among their courtship rituals which cement their lifelong bonds.

Ottawa County is home to the largest concentration of bald eagles within Ohio, which hosts more than 700 of their nests throughout the Buckeye state.

More: Refuge bird survey offers surprise with rare barred owl sighting

Two bald eagles perch in the bare trees overlooking the frozen Lake Erie waters at East Harbor State Park in Catawba Island Township.
Two bald eagles perch in the bare trees overlooking the frozen Lake Erie waters at East Harbor State Park in Catawba Island Township.

This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Eagles on ice at East Harbor State Park